Classic Album – Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon (CD review)

One of the biggest selling albums of all-time is also one of the strangest. An LP based largely on themes of isolation and paranoia, the Dark Side of the Moon nevertheless continues to strike a chord with record buyers. Despite the chilly lyrics, this is a very human album.

Everyday sounds morph into rhythms of several songs: the heartbeat and clocks that begin “Time,” and the cash register at the beginning of “Money,” add a very real element to these otherwise detached songs. The intermittent random talking over the tracks also adds an element making the listener seem closer to the music. The quality of the production cannot be overlooked. Produced by the band and engineered by Alan Parsons, Dark Side is pristine, and despite its heavy reliance on keyboards, still doesn’t sound dated.

Even more amazing is the lack of any image; the cover contained no text and no mention of Pink Floyd or the songs listed within, only a prism illustration, adding to the eerie quality of the album. Pink Floyd would go on to record more heady music, but this is their shining moment. –Tony Peters